


it's just a song, so why does it hurt so much?

by cykeswiki



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Asphyxiation, Choking, Other, Panic Attacks, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cykeswiki/pseuds/cykeswiki
Summary: In which Kaede experiences trauma stemming from a life she never even knew she had.
Kudos: 13





	it's just a song, so why does it hurt so much?

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place in a non-despair AU, so there are no killing games involved here! But even with that in mind, some memories can transcend universes and haunt you even if they aren't yours.

Kaede was just taking a walk through the halls of Hope’s Peak, Chopin’s “Étude Op. 10, No. 12” playing in her head as she idly mimed playing that exact song on an invisible piano. Even when she wasn’t at her piano in her dorm, she could still envision practicing on it.

As she walked through the halls, she noticed an open classroom door. Now, Kaede was always the curious sort, so she couldn’t help but take a peek into the room. And there she saw an underclassman, seated in front of a piano. Nowhere near as extravagant as the one she had in her room, but then again, she always sprung for the best, and maybe sometimes she went overboard… Regardless, Kaede was interested in seeing what song they’d perform, so she continued to look into the room, making sure to stay hidden so she didn’t disturb the other student. They might have stage fright, after all, and Kaede didn’t want to make them uncomfortable!

As the student took a few deep breaths and placed their hands on the keys of the piano, Kaede’s mind began racing, wondering what piece they’d play. “Clair de Lune” was always a classic that she loved hearing, but “Moonlight Sonata” was also a fine choice. Oooh, or maybe they’d play Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 5”? Were they a skilled enough piano player to pull that off?

Her mind going through all the piano songs she knew, Kaede only barely registered when the student actually started playing. And the second she heard what song the student had chosen…

She immediately wished that she hadn’t.

Clearly, this person was still getting used to the piano, because the song they chose was “Der Flohwalzer”. A very entry-level piano piece, meant to teach those new to the ivory keys how to play different notes with both hands, and how to string together notes in a musically-pleasing way. Kaede had learned it a long time ago, of course.

But she hadn’t played it in years. She hadn’t _listened_ to it in years. And hearing it come out of this student’s piano gave her a painful reminder as to why.

Immediately, Kaede fell to her knees, her heart racing a million miles an hour as her throat closed up. Breathing became difficult, to the point where Kaede felt like she couldn’t even manage a single gasp. Her hands found their way around her throat, trying to grasp at and remove some invisible object that Kaede so clearly felt around her neck. It was choking her, she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t speak…!

She couldn’t even move away from the classroom in a desperate attempt to stop hearing the song. She felt completely immobile, as if her body wasn’t even listening to her. She was trapped there, on her knees and unable to breathe. Her face turned red as she struggled for even a single breath of air, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t manage it. She was going to pass out at this point. She was going to fall to the ground unconscious, all because of a simple piano song.

Just when things seemed over for her, the student just so happened to look up from their piano to see Kaede on the ground in front of the classroom door, struggling for breath. Immediately, they stopped playing, and rushed over to Kaede to make sure she was alright.

It had taken a moment for all of Kaede’s sudden, intense anxiety to fade, but as she began to calm down, she took deep, heavy breaths to try and regain the air in her lungs. She even coughed a few times, tears that she didn’t even realize were there falling from her eyes onto the ground.

“Oh my god, are you okay?! Do you need me to take you to the nurse’s office?!” The student asked, clearly panicking at seeing someone asphyxiating in front of their classroom.

Kaede still had to take a few moments to catch her breath and find the strength to speak once more. She closed her eyes tightly to try and stop the tears, and shakily stood up, one hand clutching her chest as the other rubbed her neck to make sure whatever invisible object she had so clearly felt around it was gone…

“Y-Yeah… Don’t worry, I’m… I’m fine.” Kaede said, trying to force a smile. “Your… piano playing was just so good, I guess it… took my breath away!” She added, giving a very nervous, awkward, and pained laugh. She didn’t want this poor student to stop playing, after all. It was important for people to pursue their interests, especially if that interest had to do with music.

“Keep up the good work…! I’ll… I’ll just leave you to keep practicing now.” Kaede waved goodbye to the other student, who didn’t respond in any way other than continuing to stare at the Ultimate Pianist with a clearly worried expression as she shakily hobbled away.

Walking into a different hallway, Kaede propped herself up against the wall, and slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor. Her deep, heavy breaths became more quick and more panicked, and the hand that was clutching her chest began to grip the shirt of her uniform like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality. Tears began to form her in her eyes again, and Kaede did nothing to stop them this time.

She just sat there, shaking like a leaf in the wind, and sobbed.


End file.
